The Cruise
by CitizenNancy
Summary: A Chicago Hope/Friends Crossover - Dr Aaron Shutt meets Monica Geller on a cruise
1. The Cruise

"The Cruise"  
A Chicago Hope/Friends story  
by CitizenNancy  
  
Friday  
  
It was early in the afternoon on Friday as Dr. Aaron Shutt went around the hospital on  
his daily rounds.Well they used to be his daily rounds, now they were Dr Lisa Cateras  
rounds, he was really just following her. She needed a lot of consults lately. For a while  
after his aneurysm the chief of staff of Chicago Hope changed his position. He was now a  
psychiatrist while Dr. Catera took over Aarons old job as neurosurgeon. It'll be a long  
time before he will be in surgical scrubs again. Aaron walked into a room for a consult  
with Dr. Catera and leaned on the wall as she explained the patients situation and what  
she needed help on. "This is gonna be a looonnnnng day." Aaron intoned in his head,  
mostly blocking out what Dr. Catera was telling him. "I think your best bet is laproscopic  
on the lateral nerve. You patch that up and Miss Tonya Harding will be back to skating  
and whatever as soon as possible." Aaron said and left the room. Exiting the room he  
nearly ran into Chief of Staff Phillip Watters.  
"How are you feeling today Aaron." Phillip said poking him. "You look a little more  
sleepy eyed than usual today. I hope this isn't affecting your consults with Lisa."  
"This job makes a load of sense." Aaron said yawning. "I am now in the mental business  
and yet I'm still making most of the decisions in the neurosurgery ward. Phillip, what is  
the problem with this picture?"  
"I think I know." Phillip said grabbing Aarons hand and pulled him to a stop. "Come with  
me, I have something to show you."  
"You know after Camille I decided to stop dating my colleagues." Aaron noted with that  
famous dry wit of his.  
"Just come on." Phillip chuckled. "Thats an order Shutt."  
"Yes sir." Aaron said as he reluctantly followed.  
  
  
Meanwhile in a city on the east coast....  
  
Monica Geller gasped as she dropped another plate of food on the ground. She was  
carrying a load of crayfish to be fried for the days daily special, Jumbalaya. And one of  
the citys most respected restaurant critics was waiting for her outside, and he had  
ordered the daily special.  
"What am I gonna do?" Monica said as she hurriedly picked the stray fish up and  
washed it up. She looked around. No one was watching so she pushed the freshly  
cleaned crayfish into the fryer. She was satisfied with her job when one of her coworkers  
walked behind her. She wasn't very popular as head chef with her new coworkers, she  
replaced a well loved colleague a while ago.  
"You dropped one." He said and walked by. She looked down and found she was  
standing on one forgotten crayfish. She picked it up and threw it in the trash.  
"I need a vacation." Monica sighed as she got ready to leave work for her late lunch  
break.  
  
  
Chicago  
  
"Mandatory vacation?" Aaron almost yelled as Phillip brought him into his office.  
"Take it easy Aaron." Phillips said calmly from his chair.  
"Calm down?" Aaron said sitting down himself. "I'm just getting use to being a head  
doctor and now I have to go on vacation. You know vacation is an alien word to me,  
Phillip."  
"Look at me!" Phillip pointed at himself. "When was the last time you saw me take a  
break? I don't remember taking a break ever since I became Chief of Staff. And to tell  
you the truth I was gonna make a try this weekend."  
"Really?" Aaron asked leaning forward."What?"  
"I won a ticket on a radio show this morning." Phillip said taking a envelope from his  
upper desk drawer. "I was calling for information on traffic, little did I know I would be  
the 97th caller on 97.3s Choose to Cruise contest." Phillip sat up. "I have a medical  
convention this weekend so I cant take this trip. Seeing you on your consult rounds this  
morning with Lisa made me think you needed a break."   
"I'm not sure." Aaron said. "Last time I went anywhere remotely romantic was with  
Camille and that was to the cheese chili dog wagon on 34th street."  
"Aaron you have to take this trip. Your skills as a decision maker will be effected. You  
don't go, it will be a matter of when something will go wrong." Phillip said his serious  
tone returning.  
"Can I think this over?" Aaron asked. "I left someone waiting for me in my office when I  
went with Lisa."  
"Sure. Try and let me know before the day is over. Otherwise I may offer this to Dr.  
Wilkes, who is the second person most in need of a break."  
"Okay, thanks."  
"And Aaron." Phillip said as Aaron stopped at the door. "Be careful."  
"You know if Dr, Nyland was here, he'd take the ticket in less than a New York  
minute."  
"Thats why I asked you." Phillip said with a grin as Aaron left the office.  
  
New York  
  
Monica yawned as she threw her coat on the coat rack near the door to the apartment  
she shared with good friend Rachel Green. Rachel was sitting on the couch watching the  
tv when she came in. She looked up from her tv watching and smiled.  
"I'm so glad you're home Monica!" Rachel practically jumped out of her chair. "I have a  
huge favor to ask you."  
"Rachel I told you already that I'm not interested in Dave from accounting." Monica said  
as she got a juice from the fridge.  
"No no, its not about this." Rachel got her purse and grabbed an envelope from it and  
plopped it on the table. "Get a look at that!"  
Monica picked it up and looked on the outside."What is it."  
"Its a ticket to a cruise!" Rachel said happily. "Alison in lingerie won it and found she  
couldn't take the trip this weekend. Its been through a nice round of "pass the buck" till  
Sophie gave it to me."  
"Why doesn't she take the cruise?" Monica asked opening the envelope. She looked at  
the ticket, turning it around in her hand. It was an all expense paid trip around Manhattan  
island other smaller islands. It was a three day cruise.  
"She's afraid of water, sun, boats, sea gulls. So shes basically out of the running. And I  
thought of you." Rachel said smiling.  
"So?"  
"I'm not sure." Monica said.  
"Not sure???" Rachel practically yelled. "Are you nuts? Its a free trip out in the fresh air,  
fun and freedom too! And you need a vacation, cause if you don't take a break now you  
may lose your job."  
Monica put the ticket in the envelope and thought for a minute. "Okay." She said finally.  
"Great!" Rachel said. "Come on, lets go to Bloomingdales before it closes!"  
"Why?" Monica said a she let herself be pulled along by Rachel. "We need to get you a  
new bathing suit. The less material the better!!!"  
  
Chicago  
  
Aaron sat his desk and drummed his fingers, a common thing he did when he was  
thinking something over. He stopped as he realized the psychiatrist in him was about to  
tell him why he drummed his fingers. Some Freudian thing. Finally he did the only thing  
he could do, picked up the phone and hit the speed dial. There was only one person  
who could help him make the decision of going on the cruise or not. He only hoped he  
was home.  
  
In a home very far away a dutiful foster father was helping his daughter get ready for a  
afternoon nap. As the precocious child refused to wiggle into her nap gear the phone  
rang. Dr. Jeffrey Geiger, world renowned heart surgeon stopped what he was doing and  
hit the speaker phone next to his bed.  
"It's your quarter."   
"Hi Jeffrey." Aaron said twirling a pencil.  
"Well hello there. You have got impeccable timing you know that?"  
"I know, we gotta talk."  
"I had a feeling you'd say that. Stop twirling that pencil, you'll poke an eye out." Jeffrey  
picked up the phone. "Don't ask how I how I know that, I just do."  
"Good." Aaron said abruptly putting down the pencil. "I have a proposal for you."  
"I thought you decided not to date anymore of your coworkers after Camille."  
"Very funny." Aaron said sitting up. "Say Phillip gave me a cruise ticket. It's in New  
York. Why a Chicago radio station is giving away a cruise in New York I'll figure out  
later."  
"And what you want to do is figure out whether out if you want to go on this cruise or  
give the ticket to a young buck like Dr. Billy Kronk."  
"That's it." Aaron said. "On a totally separate note Kronk is now married and an  
expectant father."  
"I missed a lot. I have to come back and get on your nerves a lot more often." Geiger  
said patting Alicia on the head. Jeffrey took over the care of Alicia after her foster father  
Alan Birch, a beloved friend, was shot and killed in a failed robbery attempt. "You  
should go Aaron, the only girl in my life is a three year old who wont take her nappy right  
now. Do it. Get laid for the both of us."  
"You really think so?" Aaron said smiling.  
"Definitely. This is not just for you, its for me and any other man not getting any this  
weekend. Go for it Aaron! You have the Jeffrey Geiger seal of semi-sane approval. And  
thats worth more than you think." Jeffrey said.  
"Okay, thanks buddy." Aaron said as he hung up. It was a slow day at Chicago Hope.  
Kate Austin had gone gung-ho and taken two other peoples procedures that afternoon  
so it wasn't your usual day. Since no one else needed mental help for that day Aaron  
closed up shop. He stopped by Phillips office on the way out.  
"Hey Phillip." Aaron stuck his head in the door. "I'll take them cruise tickets after all."  
  
New York  
  
Having a friend with a 50% percent discount at Bloomingdales was a mixed blessing  
thought Monica as Rachel took her through the new bathing suit selections. Rachel  
worked as a personal shopper at the famed store and was now happier than a pig in  
mud to be shopping for her roommate, and for free too.  
"Try this on." Became the mantra for the afternoon. Monica tried on suit after suit. One  
was so thin it could have been fashionable dental floss. Monica also got a little bent out  
of shape as the afternoon went on.  
"Rachel, why do I need a suit, I don't even know if the boat has a pool yet." Monica  
protested.  
"You gotta be prepared." Rachel said. "Remember Girl Scouts?"  
"We weren't in girl scouts." Monica said.  
"Whatever. You have to expect the unexpected on this trip."  
"Remember the last time someone went on a three hour tour?" Monica asked. "They got  
stranded on an island."  
"Well, unless your crew includes the skipper and Gilligan, I think you're pretty safe."  
"Joy."  
"Monica, you have to be open to lifes experiences. You could meet a guy, fall in love,  
get married." Rachel said dreamily.  
"All in three days?"  
"Its been known to happen."  
"Yea. On Days of Our Lives!" Monica said. She picked up a black two piece swimsuit.  
"I'll take this." She went up to the counter to pay.  
"She'll also take this." Rachel said grabbing a shear nightgown. Monica gave her a look  
that would fry an egg. "Its for me and Joshua."  
"Ok. Will you still have that when Joshua notices you?" Monica said as the skimpy piece  
was stowed in a Bloomingdales bag.  
"He'll notice me." Rachel said. "Well he will!"  
Monica shook her head as she followed her friend out of the store.  
  
Chicago  
  
Aaron and Phillip stood on the top of the grand hospital and waited as the helicopter  
they used to deliver organs descended on them. Aaron and Phillip backed up as the  
helicopter landed.  
"Isn't this a slight abuse of power?" Aaron yelled over the whirling helicopter blades.  
"Yes, it is. But I'm doing it because I can and I don't want you to be late to you cruise  
with destiny."  
"Great." Aaron said as the copilot put his bags on board the helicopter. "What else is  
gonna happen."  
"You could meet the girl of your dreams." Phillip suggested as Aaron boarded the  
helicopter.  
"Gee, the chances of that are one in a billion."   
"Don't cut yourself short Aaron. You'll never know whats gonna happen, anything is  
possible." Phillip said as Aaron closed the door. Aaron strapped in to the back seat.  
"Are you ready?" The pilot asked through the headphones Aaron now wore.  
"Ready as I'll ever be." He said as the helicopter begun its ascent up into the sky and into  
the great unknown.  
  
New York "Cruise Day"  
  
Monica slowly got out of her friend Phoebe Buffays Taxi cab-car as they arrived at the  
harbor. She insisted on going down alone to meet the boat but all of her other friends  
Chandler Bing, Joey Tribiani and her brother Ross and of course Rachel wanted to  
come see her off.  
The day was beautiful, not a cloud in the sky and it was reasonably warm outside. As  
Monica got closer she saw the boat. Rachel had been knowledgeable on their shopping  
excursion the day before, for there was in fact a small pool on board the ship. Not really  
big but just noticeable to get a "I told you so" look from her friend.  
"Oh Monica, we are like so jealous of you right now." Phoebe said holding a small  
camera.  
"You mean she gets to go on a ship and get sea sick?" Chandler said looking over the  
ship. "Not my cup of tea."  
"You know what I mean." Phoebe said. "Monica let me take a picture of you waving to  
us from the ship."  
"I'm not on the ship yet!" Monica said taking the camera. "I'm gonna need that Pheebs."  
"Oh yeah."  
  
  
Down the road a little....  
  
Aaron was contending with a rude cabby. After trying everyway possible to give him  
directions to dock forty nine Aaron got flustered and hopped out of the cab. He took his  
bag with him.  
"By the time that jerk learns English, the boat will be gone." Aaron said now rushing to  
the harbor. The refueling stop for the helicopter took longer than Aaron was hoping for.  
The pilot went on the town and managed to get himself drunk, so he couldn't fly. He had  
to wait for both the pilot and the co-pilot to sober themselves up before they could go  
anywhere. Finally Aaron reached the dock and almost ran into an attractive dark haired  
lady who was taking a group picture in front of the ship.  
  
Monica looked up as a taller older man nearly knocked her on the ground. Monica  
slumped into Chandler to get out of the way.  
"Where's your fire?" Rachel hollered. "Jerk."  
"Ignore him." Joey said.  
The steam whistle went off announcing that anyone who wanted to get on the boat had  
better get there now or miss the cruise completely went off. Monica grabbed her bag.  
"Well bye!" She said hugging everyone. Ross hugging her tightest of all.  
"Hurry back Mon!" Ross said as Monica hurried up the gang plank of the boat. She  
handed her ticket to the ticket taker and got on board the ship. The gang gathered at the  
rail of the docks end as Monica stood near the rail on the ship. She waved.  
"Bye!" Monica said as the ship started to leave. She kept on waving till her friends on the  
dock were out of sight.  
  
Later  
  
  
Monica picked up her luggage and began to look for the little cabin she would have  
during her trip. The ticket stun she held said it was room 12. There were 15 little cabins  
on the ship. She thought for a minute she would have to share one with a complete  
stranger. Then she remembered that she read in the pamphlet that came with the ticket  
there were only 15 passengers so if anyone roomed together, it was totally at their own  
discretion. Monica found her room next to someone who was now very familiar to her.  
She threw her bag inside and turned to look at the man standing next to her. It was the  
man who nearly knocked her down on the dock.  
  
Aaron struggled with the lock to his cabin. He inserted the key and turned the knob over  
and over again to no affect.  
"Just like me to get a defective room." He thought as he jiggled the lock. "What next?"  
He said as he leaned his head on the door and moaned. As he was enjoying his brooding  
he got a sharp poke in the back. "Hey!" He heard. He turned around and looked. It was  
the woman who he had almost knocked down on the way to the ship. The frenzied  
panic, oh yeah, he remembered that most of all. Who was he to be late to the cruise  
from hell?  
"I know you." Aaron said as the dark haired lady glared at him with ice picks in her eyes.  
"We dated once didn't we?" He said at a failed attempt to lighten the mood. It always  
worked for Jeffrey.  
"No, we didnt." She extended her hand. "I'm Monica Geller, you almost plowed into me  
on the dock!"  
"I'm sorry. I thought I was gonna be late for the boat." Aaron took her hand. "Dr. Aaron  
Shutt. Nice to meet you."  
"Nice to meet you too Aaron." Monica said smiling slightly. He WAS good looking.  
What am I thinking? I'm mad at him! "Wait a minute. I'm mad at you so its not nice to  
meet you."  
"Well suit yourself." Aaron said. "Be angry all you want but remember I apologized. I am  
on the floor begging for mercy at your feet." Aaron said dryly.  
"Are you trying to be funny?"  
"No." Aaron said. "I'm a shrink, we're not supposed to be funny or even remotely  
interesting."  
Monica again caught herself from laughing. He was funny. Is this what Chandler would  
turn out to be in a few years? "Well, I gotta go." Monica said. "I would say it was  
interesting, but it wasn't." She went in her room and shut the door loudly. It opened crack  
and she shut it again.  
"That went well." Aaron said as he went into his own room.  
  
An hour later  
  
Monica stood outside near the rail on the boat. She watched the Statue of Liberty float  
by. She took a sip of the soda she had brought aboard with her. She discovered the six  
pack of soda had been snack into her bag after her argument with Aaron Shutt. What a  
jerk! She had thought when she had found the secret stash. It was accompanied by a  
note from Rachel.  
"Just in case you need something to drink besides water and more water." Monica had  
chuckled at the note, she was always there for her. Monica finished the can and stood at  
the rail staring off into the distance. She thought she was thought she was alone when she  
heard foot steps behind her. She turned and looked.  
"You!" Monica said as Aaron came closer to her. "What do you want."  
"I suppose another apology is out of the question." Aaron said as he leaned on the rail.  
"Nice night."  
"I guess." Monica thought for a minute. "Can we start over?"  
"Hmm?" Aaron muttered.  
"We should start over. Pretend the dock incident didn't happen." Monica extending her  
hand. "I'm Monica."  
Aaron smiled as he took her hand. It was small and very soft. Not like Camilles who  
was constantly rough from scrubbing and rescrubbing for surgery every day. "I'm  
Aaron." He let go of her hand. "So tell me about yourself."  
"Me?" Monica said blushing.  
"Well if we are gonna start with a clean slate I might as well know a little bit about you.  
It's only fair."  
"Right. Okay." Monica said walking around. Aaron followed."I'm a chef. I work in a  
restaurant downtown. I needed the break, if I make an mistakes I may lose another job."  
"I know how you feel." Aaron said.  
"Have you ever been there?"  
"I'm not from around here." Aaron and Monica walked around the corner on the boat.  
"I'm actually from Chicago. I was a neurosurgeon until I had an aneurysm recently."  
"Oh my." Monica said with sudden concern.  
"Yeah."  
"But you're all right now."  
"Yeah, but until I can be allowed into another persons brain I am a shrink, so I'm  
messing with peoples minds either way. This ways less messy and less call for scrubbing  
up before I talk to someone about their mother."  
"I live with my best friend Rachel." Monica said "She's the one who gave me the ticket  
for this cruise."  
"I was married for a long time, but not anymore." Aaron noted. Monicas eyebrows rose  
as he mentioned the divorce. "My boss gave me the ticket. I guess I also need a break  
from my work. When you're a doctor breaks don't happen very often."  
"Ah." Monica said. A horn went off signaling that dinner would be soon.  
"So, you gonna go eat?" Aaron said as most people went back to their cabins to freshen  
up."  
"Maybe." Monica said. "I am kinda hungry."  
"Since we are on such good terms with our nice clean slate I was hoping...well maybe if  
think its too forward...I mean."  
Monica had to laugh at his stuttering. "You want me to me eat dinner with you?"  
"Yes." Aaron said, making sure to note the stuttering as either a side affect of the  
aneurysm or maybe it happened because of her.  
"I would love to." Monica said as she went to her cabin. "I'll see you in five minutes. You  
do know where my cabin is right?"  
"Sure." Aaron smiled.  
"Okay. I'll see you then."  
Aaron watched Monica walk away. He soon followed her himself. "Aaron do you know  
what you're getting into?" He asked himself as he went into his own cabin. He didn't  
know what to tell himself.  
  
A few minutes later  
  
Monica emerged from her room in a nice dress. She had no idea what the dinner on  
board the boat would be like so she picked a nice neutral dress. Not too formal but  
nothing she would be caught dead in McDonalds wearing. As she exited her room  
Aaron waited for her with a nice gray suit and tie on.  
"You look very nice." She said to Aaron. She meant it. The suit seemed very expensive  
but she remembered he was a doctor. It could be Armani for all she known.  
"Thank you, this is a old suit that a friend borrowed to me once and he never got it back.  
I like it too much." Aaron said as he paused to drink in Monica. "You look beautiful." He  
exhaled.  
"Oh, this old thing?" Monica shrugged the compliment off.  
"Yeah, I think you look very nice." Aaron said as he extended his arm.  
"Lets go to dinner." Monica said as he took his arm.  
  
The dinner was as formal as could be expected on a small cruise like they were on.  
Aaron and Monica ended up on dining on hot dogs and fries near one of the rails. After  
they finished they walked around a bit as they took in the sights. Monica stood at the rail  
and leaned on it.  
"This is such a wonderful night." Monica said as she looked at the sky above. "Its so  
perfect."  
"It is." Aaron replied. Ever since dinner Aaron could not keep his eyes off the dark  
haired creature in front of him. This was the same woman who not less than 24 hours  
earlier hated the very sight of him. Now they were sharing a sunset together.  
Someone had turned on a radio and it was playing a slow song. The music had caught  
Monicas attention and now she looked at the person who had started the music. She  
then turned to Aaron. It wasn't till then she realized he had been staring. He didn't know it  
either till the moment their eyes met.  
"Would you like to dance?" Aaron said nervously, tensing up a little inside to prepare  
himself in case she said no.  
"Sure." Monica said smiling.  
"You don't have to if you don't want to..."  
"Aaron, I said yes."  
"Oh." Aaron said. He hesitantly took her hand. They walked out a bit from the rail and  
they started to slow dance. They slowly moved together not taking each others eyes off  
one another. Monica eventually grew comfortable with the movement, the ship was still  
moving when they had decided to dance. She leaned her head up against Aarons chest  
and sighed. She stayed that way till the music stopped. Aaron reached down and lifted  
her chin up with his forefinger. She looked into his eyes. He leaned down and kissed her  
on the lips. Monica was surprised by the sudden action and found she liked it. They  
were in that position for a minute before she abruptly broke it off.  
"I..I...I can't do this!" Monica said as she tore herself from Aaron.  
"Whats wrong?" Aaron asked very concerned.  
"I wouldn't be good for you Aaron." Monica said. "The last guy I dated became a  
wrestler, and the man before that was older than me and was a doctor too. Just like  
you." Monica said tearing up."I don't know if I can take that much heartbreak in such a  
small period of time!" Monica said as she turned to go to her cabin.  
"Monica!" Aaron said loudly.  
"I can't do this Aaron!" Monica said sobbing. "I don't want to hurt you but I don't want  
to go through this again. I'm sorry!" Monica said and started to run the last couple of feet  
to her room. She went in and locked it.  
"Monica!" Aaron yelled again. He was left all alone on the deck, not knowing what had  
just gone on.  
  
After leaving Aaron on the deck Monica stayed in her room for a while. She lied down on  
her bed for a while and stared at the ceiling. She felt really bad for leaving him out there  
like that.   
"I shouldn't let my past love life ruin something nice that Aaron and I might have." She said  
to herself as fell asleep that night. The next morning was a very rainy and very foggy so  
most of the ships passengers and crew stayed in their cabins for most of the day.   
Monica woke up and looked out the window. As the gray sky greeted her she couldn't  
help but feel a little hungry. She hadnt eaten anything since she went to bed last night.  
Monica got dressed and got ready to go to the cafeteria to see if they had anything left  
over from the dinner last night. She threw on a turtle neck sweater and jeans, then  
headed out to meet the dreary but new day.  
It was kismet. Monica and Aaron left their rooms at the same time. This little quirk didn't  
go unnoticed. Aaron swung his head over in Monicas direction at the same time she  
looked his way. Their eyes met. Monica flushed and lowered her eyes. He rubbed his  
neck with the palm of his hand. After the way she had treated him last night, he still had  
that same affect on her. She smiled.  
"Nice day." She said.  
"Well, its okay." Aaron said looking around. "In Chicago this weather is almost normal.  
At the hospital the newborns are given umbrellas not pacifiers."  
Monica laughed. "I have to get you to meet my friend Chandler sometime. He has the  
same view on life, hes very funny." Monica stopped laughing. Why did she bring up  
Chandler?  
"Monica we have to talk." Aaron said walking her way. Monica stood and waited till  
they were face to face before she started to speak.  
"What's there to talk about. The weathers cruddy, I don't watch sports a lot and I know  
nada about medical stuff." Monica said strolling. She hadn't been watching where she  
was going. Monica soon realized she had stolled right into the downpour. She wiped  
some of wet hair out of her eyes. Aaron took off his overcoat and came over to her  
spot. He held it over their heads,which was easy since he was taller than her.  
"We have to talk about us, about what you said last night." Aaron said once Monica was  
sufficiently covered.  
"I don't know what that was about." Monica said. "I guess I must have freaked out."  
"Maybe you've been through so many cruddy relationships you're afraid to get into a new  
one?"  
"Maybe..." Monica cocked her eyebrow at him. "Are you analyzing me?"  
"No, no." Aaron shook his head. "Well yes, but I'm a psychiatrist now."   
"Well you certainly fit the role." Monica agreed. "But you're right. I didn't expect to meet  
a guy like you here." Monica looked around. "Can we get out of this rain? I'm starting to  
feel a little ridiculous. And people are gonna start looking."  
"Ok." Aaron said guiding her under the roof of the hallway to the cabins. "Is that better?  
No one would have looked but we would have put on a good show for the seagulls."  
"Aaron. Do you think we have a chance? After all you live in Chicago and I live here."  
"I dunno." Aaron said hugging Monica. "It's worth a try."  
"I gotta go get something dry on." Monica said. She started toward her room. Aaron  
stood there and watched her go. He sighed and looked at his watch. Monica stood  
outside the door. "Are you coming? I'm only gonna wait so long." Monica said with a  
smile. Aaron did a mild jog toward the room. He stopped by the door and looked at  
her. They continued to gaze at each other as the door closed.   
The rain eventually stopped. Aaron and Monica stayed the next day with each other  
looking at sights and other things. The day they returned was the hardest day of all.  
Monica and Aaron walked down the gangplank together. Monica stopped and looked  
at him.  
"So what happens now?"  
"I think my boss won't mind if I stay an extra week in New York." Aaron said as they  
started walking again. "He's been trying to get my to take a vacation for so long, I don't  
think he'll complain."  
"Thats good." Monica said. "It's a nice day to start an extended vacation."  
They walked off the boat holding hands, off into a day with new possibilities.  
  
  



	2. Aaron in New York

Friends/Chicago Hope Crossover  
"Aaron in New York" - Sequel to the Cruise  
  
  
The day after the cruise ended, Aaron drove around New York thinking. About life, Monica and everything else. After the boat docked Aaron had to go and get a hotel  
room. If he was planning on staying an extra week with Monica Geller, he had to have some place to call home base.As soon as a hotel room was secured, Aaron called his boss, Chief of Staff Phillip Watters in New York to make the request for the extra time  
off. Phillip was more than happy to grant it.  
"Stay a while Aaron. If you come back before Tuesday I may just have to fire you." Phillip said with what Aaron had hoped was a sarcastic tone in his voice.  
"I'll try. The charms of this city are simply to tempting to resist." Aaron replied while hanging up. But of course he was not thinking of the city but of the wonderful young woman he had met.  
Aaron had gotten the phone book to look up Monicas address. Monica mentioned on the boat she lived with a girlfriend and had some zany friends come over once in a while.  
If they were all just a bit older it would be just like the hospital, particularly with Jack  
McNeil following Dr Lisa Catera around like a love sick puppy.  
He braked hard as a man jumped in front of his rental car.  
"Jeffrey!" Aaron said finally recognizing the jaywalker. Jeffrey Geiger was Aarons close friend. He jumped into the car with Aaron.  
"Nice job mowing me over Aaron. You know what Chicago Hope would do to you if they found out you ran me over at Times Square?"  
"You mean besides the ticker tape parade Kate Austin will throw in my honor?" Aaron cracked.  
"You're still funny." Jeffrey said flatly. "Where are we going?"  
"We?" Aaron turned to Jeffrey. "How about we answer a different question first. What are you doing here?"  
  
Monica puttered around the kitchen of her apartment trying to make everything just right when Aaron Shutt, the doctor she met on the cruise she had won a ticket from her best friend, came over. Aaron had called to let her know that he was on the way. But since he was so unfamiliar with the city, he had asked her to give him an hour to get there. She gave very precise instructions there. She was so specific in the directions, even Helen  
Keller would be able to find her way around the city.  
Monica so wanted to have an intimate evening alone with Aaron but now as it grew later she knew that was not possible. All her guy friends, Ross, Chandler and Joey. were using her tv to watch the big game and gal pals, Rachel and Phoebe, would not stop asking about the cruise.  
"Come on Mon!" Rachel begged. "Throw us a bone already."  
"She could throw you a bone but you still wouldnt get any info on the cruise." Chandler said not even turning his head.  
"Ok." Monica said. "I met this really handsome doctor on the boat and we well spent a lot of time together."  
"I thought doctors were your turn on Rachel." Phoebe said.  
"Yeah, I must have rubbed off on you." Rachel noted.  
"Fat chance the way she cleans things around here." Phoebe said.  
"Anyway, I was cooking this dinner so we could be together. Alone." Monica explained heavy emphasis on "alone". "He lives in Chicago and he only got to stay a week here. If I don't see him as much as possible before he gets back there I don't know what I'm going to do."  
"This is just like a soap opera. Except hes not dying. Right?" Phoebe asked.  
"Yeah. He is the most intelligent, generous, kind man I have ever met." Monica sighed.  
"He'll be here any minute."  
"Do you want us to go Monica?" Ross asked.  
"Could that be any more obvious?" Monica addressed her brother. "It's not like you can't get this channel on the tv across the hall."  
"Ok Monica." Rachel said. "We'll go."  
Monica smiled and sighed. "Thank you."  
  
In the car  
  
Jeffrey smiled his famous grin. Hed been silent ever since Aaron asked him why he was in New York.  
"I could ask you the same thing." Jeffrey explained. "The Aaron Shutt i know is no Mr Excitment Vacation Man. As soon as he can he gets back to work and its liek there was no vacation at all. Expecting this usual behavior..."  
"You oughta be the psychiatrist." Aaron pointed out taking an prize opportunity to interupt a patented Jeffrey Geiger rant.  
Ignoring him Jeffrey went on. "Expecting you to be back at the hospital and using the hard way to examine the human mind I called your office. No answer so what better alternative to talk to Phillip Watters, AKA the big boss."  
"Uh huh." Aaron said as he paid the toll before crossing the bridge.  
"He told me you asked for a week extension, and that in fact that you were still here in New York." Jeffrey said. "Long story short version..."  
"Too late for that."  
"I wanted to see what was keeping you here." Jeffrey finished. "So Aaron. Whats new?"  
"Ok if you want to know whats up I will satisfy your nosey tendencies." Aaron couldnt resist smiling. "I met someone."  
Jeffrey laughed for a minute, a minute too long Aaron thought. "Seriously, why are you here?" Aaron gave him a look. "Oh my are you serious?"  
"More serious than I have ever been in my life." Aaron said. "Right before you threw yourself in front of my car I was on my way to see her."  
"I see. Where are you gonna meet this chicky of the moment?"  
"Monica Geller is no ordinary chicky." Aaron defended her. "Stop getting me mixed up with Danny Nyland."  
"You both had the same tie one day, what was that?" Jeffrey said. "Sorry."  
Aaron pulled up to a bus depot. "I'm soooo sorry but this is where you are getting off."  
"What?"  
"I'm gonna see Monica, I am not bringing an entourage." Aaron said. "You wanted to know what I am doing here fine, but you could have saved the airfare. Its called a phone Jeffrey. Have someone show you around it someday." Aaron said as Jeffrey got out of the car.  
"Fine." Jeffrey said closing the door. "Do you mind telling me where you are dropping me off?"  
"How the heck should I know?" Aaron said. "I've been lost for half an hour myself. But I am getting closer. I see the landmark Monica gave me. Some coffee place."  
"You hate gourmet coffee." Jeffrey said as Aaron started to drive away.  
"That doesnt seem so important right now." Aaron said to himself as he pulled into traffic.  
  
Up the street a bit  
  
Monica finished getting together what she hoped to a nice romantic dinner with Aaron. But so far everything had gone wrong that could go wrong. For instance she sent Phoebe on a simple shopping errand, emphasis on "simple". But Phoebe suceeded in bringing back the opposite of everything she wanted. She tried not to get mad at her, because Aaron was coming. After calming down she managed to shoo her couch hogging pals out of the apartment to realise one thing.  
Aaron was half an hour late.  
"Now this is starting to feel like a normal relationship." Monica said. "But hes new to the  
city, I'll cut him some slack."  
As Monica was making this comment there was a solitary and very hesistant knock at the door. Monica was about to yell "I'll get it!" she remembered she was alone.  
Pulling herself together with a final look in the mirror Monica went to the door. She opened it and Aaron was in fact there.  
"Hello." Monica said.  
"Hi there." Aaron said. "Sorry I'm so late, I ran into an old friend, quite literally."  
"That's all right. I kept msyelf busy." Monica said.  
"Whats that lovely smell?" Aaron said smelling the air around her.  
"It's either me or the food." Monica said remember she had to come up something creative to do with the wrong food order she got from Phoebe.  
"I kinda thought I would meet your friends today. The ones I saw at the dock?" Aaron said.  
"I thought that it would be better if we waited till like a second date till you met my friends. Some of them are a lot to take at one time." Monica said. "Time to eat."  
"Good, I'm starving." Aaron admitted. Monica moved toward the table and Aaron took out her chair for her. "I could smell this all the way downstairs."  
"Thanks." Monica smiled and looked into his eyes. "I hope you like it."   
They spent the longest time just looking into each others eyes.  
Aaron thought. "I think I'm falling in love in this woman. I'm feelings things that I havent felt since before I met Camille. Maybe coming here was a good idea after all. When I get back I should nominate Phillip for sainthood."  
Aarons thoughts were interupted by a knock on the door. Monica snapped to reality. "I wonder who that is?"  
  
Monica went up to answer the door. "I thought my friends wre gone for the night."   
"Well if one of them came back I'd really like to meet one of them." Aaron said while drinking a little bit from his wine glass.  
Monica smiled at him whiles she opened the door. She stood back a second.  
"Hi guys." Monica said as she saw that her friends had come back. "Did you want to meet one or all of them?" Monica asked Aaron.  
"I'm so sorry, Mon, I tried to stop them from coming back over but..." Rachel apologized.  
"But they simply had to meet Aaron?" Monica finished her sentance. "It's ok. Come on in."  
Aaron stood up and watched the friends come in and walk over in his direction. For a second he wasn't sure what he was getting into.  
"Hi, Ross." Ross said extending his hand. "I wanted to meet the man thats made my sister so happy in only three days."  
"Nice to meet you Ross." Aaron shook Ross's hand.  
"This is Joey." Ross proceeded to intro the others to Aaron while Monica joined him at his side.  
"Hi," Joey said and waved to him. "I played a doctor on tv. Dr Ramoray on Days of our lives." Joey threw the last bit in.  
"I'm sorry I never watch soap operas." Aaron said. "I would bring a tv into my office but I think the patients would mind." Joey chortled.  
"Chandler Bing." Chandler introduced himself.  
"I'm Rachel, and this is Phoebe." Rachel said to him. "Youre cuter than Monica said."  
"Rachel!" Monica objected.  
"Thats quite all right. I wish all my office referrals were like that."  
"So, how do you like the city?" Rachel asked. "Do you have a brother?"  
Aaron couldnt help but chuckle. He suddenly felt like a teen idol heart-throb being swooned over by a legion, well one anyway, of fans. After the greeting section of the night was done everyone split off and did their own thing. Rachel had come a little closer as they talked.  
"Uh thanks, I think. But remember I'm taken." Aaron said looking at Monica meaningfully. Rachel sighed.  
"Oh, I'm so sorry." Rachel said. She leaned in closer. "I'm trying to make Ross jealous."  
"I knew that." Aaron admitted. "So does he." Aaron said quieter. Rachel turned and looked at Ross. "I'm fairly certain he knows you still feel something him as he feels something for you as well."  
"You are a good pyschiatrist." Rachel said.  
"I hope not, I hope to be a surgeon again sometime soon."  
"By the way how did you know about Ross and I." Rachel said as she started to turn away.  
"Monica and I talked alot." Aaron told her.   
There was a sudden shriek.  
"Oh my god, someone help Joey." Chandler said pointing to Joey who seemed to have a hard time breathing.  
Aaron ran over to him. "What happened?"  
"Joey must have not chewed this h'our derve enough before he swallowed it. And I don't know the heimlich manuever."  
Aaron quickly examined Joey. "It's too far down for the heimlich."  
"Hows that possible?" Monica asked.  
"Sometimes something gets pushed down too far in order to be just pushed back out."  
Aaron said. "Call 911. I'm gonna have to do something right here and now if we are gonna get Joey to the hospital before he loses consciousness." Aaron looked  
around."Quickly, give me that skewer over there and some alcohol."  
"Joey cant drink if he can't swallow." Monica said getting the skewer.  
"I need to sterilize it." Aaron said looking at Joey. "Joey I'm gonna make a small puncture right here and it will be able to breathe. Do you understand?" Joey nodded.  
"Someone hold Joeys hand." Aaron said. Phoebe went to him and started singing softly to him. "Here we go."  
The roomates waited on baited breath as Aaron started to make the puncture in a strategic location on Joeys throat. He eased it in and it seemed to cause no pain for Joey.  
No visible pain anyway. The skewer seem to set something of in his throat and Joey started making weird gulping noises.  
"Whats happening now?" Monica asked.  
"Its a reflex." Aaron explained. "Like a furball, Joey is gonna spit out whatever choked him and he will be fine." As Aaron explained this Joey burped up the offending object and started to breath easily now. "We just need to go to the hospital to have the punction taken care of."  
"Aaron, what would I ever do without you?" Monica said and kissed him on the cheek.  
"I don't know." Aaron said as the ambulance guys arrived. "I was hoping not to have you find that out."  
Monica smiled as Joey was helped out of the apartment.  
"I gotta go with them." Aaron said.  
"Me too." Monica said. "I am gonna have this date with you even if it kills me, and it already almost killed Joey."  
  
Monica and Aaron followed behind the ambulence to the hospital in Aarons rental car.  
"Sorry about Joey." Aaron apologized.  
"Its not your fault he thought he could swallow that thing whole." Monica assured him.  
"Yeah." Aaron. "We are having quite a relationship, cruises, impromptu surgery in someones kitchen."  
"Hey, you came through with flying colors. You took charge of the situation and with a steady hand you saved Joeys life." Monica said smiling as it started to rain. "Maybe Phillip will give you back your job sooner than you will think."  
"I'm not sure, bueracratic red tape around hospital is sticker and tighter than ever."  
Aaron sighed as they stopped at a stop light. "It may be a while before I'm let back into an operating room. I'm certain of that."  
"You want to know what I'm certain of?" Monica said coming a little closer to Aaron.  
"Whats that?"  
"I'm fairly certain I'm falling in love with you."  
"Really?" Aaron said moving toward her. "I'm certain I am too. In fact..."  
"Stop talking and kiss me." Monica said as they movedin to kiss. As they were about to kiss a loud horn sounded from behind them, and Monica and quickly seperated.  
"The lights green you jackass!" The truckdriver behind them shouted.  
"Sorry." Aaron said and drove through the stoplight. "It never ends does it?"  
Monica smiled and laughed.  
"Now where did that ambulence go?" Aaron said as they turned onto the parkway of the hospital.  
  
No sooner than they had arrived Joey was all sewn up in the Er and ready to go home.  
Aaron and Monica, soaking wet from running from the last parking space they could find got there in time to see Joey catching a cab.  
"Hey Mon!" Joey said waving to her.  
"Hey Joey, are you feeling all right?" Monica asked while shaking her hair dry.  
"I'm fine now. Gotta remember: chew then swallow." Joey cracked as a cab finally arrived.  
"He'll be fine." Monica said as Joey left.  
"Well, well." Aaron heard a voice. "What do we have here, a cadet reunion?" Aaron instantly recognized it.  
"Jeffrey, why are you following me? Are you like some kind of guardian angel?" Aaron said turning to see Jeffrey in back of him.  
"I could be." Jeffrey said. He finally noticed Monica. "So this is the famous Ms Geller we have heard about. You better get her out of that wet outfit soon."  
"Jeffrey." Aaron interuppted.  
"I'm just worried about her welfare, about her getting a cold with the wet clothes." He turned to Monica. "Did you in anyway see any kind of sexual overtone in that?" Monica moved to speak. "Didn't think so."  
"How did you know we would be here?" Aaron asked.  
"I didn't, for your information." Jeffrey said. "I am here to do some research, as well as catch up on you once in a while."  
"It's been more than once in a while Jeffrey." Aaron said. A pager went off and both naturally checked their pockets.  
"Thats me." Jeffrey said looking at his pager. "Being nosey is patent Geiger, Aaron. I'll be around here as long as you are then I will go back to my hum drum life with Alicia."  
"Great." Aaron said. "Goodbye Jeffrey."  
Jeffrey took his cue and went back to whatever he was doing. Aaron didn't care. Monica was the only thing on his mind. That near miss-kiss in the car did it for him. He decided to do something radical. He only hoped Monica would want to do it as much as  
he wanted to.  
"Monica." Aaron took her hand. "We are never gonna be alone as long as we are here. Definately not as long as Jeffrey pops up unexpectantly in my life. I have a proposal."  
"What?" Monica asked as they went outside. It was still raining and getting wet again didnt seem to bother them at all.  
"You come to Chicago with me. I have a great place we can spend some time alone together. Just me and you and no Joey and more importantly no Jeffrey." Aaron said  
wiping some hair out his eyes. "If you dont want to come with me, I will understand and we can try and eke out as intimate vacation here: even if we have to get a sleazy hotel, I want to be with you." Aaron kissed Monica on the lips. She was starting to feel all slimy  
from the rain. He pulled away. "What do you think?"  
"I would have to say...yes!" Monica said smiling. She blinked some rain out of her eyes.  
"Yes, I will come to Chicago with you Aaron."  
"Fabulous." Aaron pulled her close for a more intimate kiss. They looked at each other for a minute. "We better get out of these clothes like Jeffrey said. Your breasts are starting to show through your shirt."  
"Aaron!" Monica said and laughed.  
"For me, thats good, I guess. Plus we might hail a cab quicker." Aaron went out to the sidewalk. "We'll dry off at my hotel, get some clothes and go to Chicago."  
"Chicago!" Monica said pulling her jacket closer. "I've never picked up and left like this before. This is gonna be a new experience for us all."  
"Truly." Aaron said as a cab slowed down for them.  
"Wettest first." Aaron said holding the door for her.She got in and they headed back to the hotel to get ready for tomorrow. 


	3. Monica In Chicago

"Monica In Chicago"   
Friends/Chicago Hope Crossover  
  
Monica had wanted to go back home to the apartment and grab some clothes but she changed her mind. In the spirit of impulsiveness Monica had decided to go to Chicago with no more than the clothes on her back, as wet as they were. She knew that she would have made a big deal about what to pack, when she would wear it. All of Monicas friends knew what an organized fiend she was. Aaron noticed this even on the cruise. Aaron drove up to the front door of the hotel he was staying at. They were gonna dry off before flying to Chicago on account of the rainstorm they were caught in.  
"Monica, I see you brought no clothes. Course not since we never stopped at your place." Aaron said as they went into the room. "I have this for you." Aaron took out a  
wrapped box.  
"For me?" Monica asked taking it. She opened and found an elegant negligee. She oohed at it and felt the silky fabric with her hand. "No ones given anything this nice to me before."  
"And its all yours." Aaron said. "Go try it on." Aaron said while Monica scurried into the bathroom. "And if I'm right, you may not have to wear it long."  
Monica poked her head around the corner. "Aaron, you are a animal in disguise, you know that."  
"Let's keep that between us." Aaron said shyly. Aaron laid back on the bed and rested his head on the pillow. He had never given intimate apparel before, not even to Camille, he hoped he wasn't being too forward but Monica seemed to love it. Aaron as deep in his thoughts when he heard her melodious voice calling him.  
"Aaron, what do you think?" Monica said as he emerged from the bathroom. Aaron sat up and looked. He was speechless. She looked very beautiful in the light blue fabric. Some light bounced off the hem of it and it lightly swayed with her movement. It managed to look very tasteful but somehow irresistible at the same time. "I don't know what to say." Aaron said after a long silence.  
"I knew it!" Monica said moping. "I look fat don't I?"  
"No, no." Aaron said getting off the bed. "Far from it."  
"Got you." Monica looking up. "You are so easy."  
"And only you know that." Aaron said taking her hand. "Gee after getting this outfit and giving it to you, suddenly there's only one thing I want to do."  
"Really?" Monica asked, expecting everything yet not knowing what to expect.  
"I suddenly want to watch TV." Aaron said flatly.  
"Aaron!"  
"Just kidding." Aaron said. "Come here you, we got an early flight in the morning and we should get our sleep."  
"True." Monica said. She started to turn off the light and turned toward the bed.  
"I never said we were actually sleeping." Aaron said coming up behind her.  
"Oh." Monica said then she thought for a little bit. "Oh!" She finally knew what he really meant and turned to him.  
  
Morning  
  
Monica was blissfully sleeping away when she suddenly got a rude awakening. Aaron hopped onto the bed fully clothed and started shaking her.  
"Monica!" Aaron said into her ear. Monica mumbled something about "onions" and rolled over. "Monica you gotta get up! We're gonna be late for the plane!"  
Monicas eyes flew open. She sat up and looked Aaron in the face. "Please tell me your kidding!"  
"Nope." Aaron said. He handed her another bag. "The clothes you were wearing last night somehow became very smelly overnight. I got you some new clothes to wear. I had an idea that you wouldn't want to wear funky smelling clothes all the way to Chicago."  
"Chicago." Monica smiled. She got up and dressed quickly in the dress Aaron picked for her. It fit perfectly like the negligee Aaron had gave her last night. "I was ready to convince myself that it was all a dream."  
"I'm still here, so it must have been real." Aaron assured her while kissing her on the cheek. "We gotta go. I have the car round front and everything."  
"Okay." Monica said after her fastest make-up session every. "I'm ready, but I must look horrible."  
"You look like a dream come true." Aaron said taking her hand. "Let's go."  
"Lets go." Monica said as Aaron led her out of the room and toward the elevator. "Wait! My job!"  
"Already taken care of." Aaron said as they got on the elevator. "While you were sleeping I called and told them you were visiting a sick aunt. They didn't seem to believe me until I told them I was a doctor and they ate everything I said like pate'."  
"Thats a relief." Monica said. "Now nothing can stand in our way of getting to Chicago."  
"Nothing except...." Aaron said as they reached the lobby. Monica cut off his sentence with a kiss. As she pulled back she looked at him with a half serious look on her face.  
"Don't jinx this for us." She said trying not to laugh.  
"OK." Aaron said. "But I could use some more reassuring we'll get there."  
"Let's take it five minutes at a time." Monica said. "After all, is Chicago gonna leave while we are flying there?"  
"Guess not."  
"You guessed right." Monica said. "Now come on, you said we were late, and I don't want to be late for this."  
Aaron and Monica got in his rental car and headed for the airport and what else may come their way.  
  
Monica and Aaron made it ot the plane miraculously in time for it, and spent some extra time browsing in the gift shop before they left. As they got on the plane, Monica turned at looked back on New York. Shes never really been out of the city before. Aaron sensed her hesistation and softly took her hand. She turned to him and smiled.  
"I'm all right. I can't help thinking I forgot something."  
  
Halfway across town Rachel went into Monicas room. She smelled something burned and looked over at the bureau. Aparently Monica left her curling iron on and it was no  
turning into a smoldering mess on the bureau. Rachel wasted no time in running over to pull the plug.  
  
At the same time the plug was pulled the plane took off. Monica sat back and sighed.  
"Feeling better?" Aaron asked while looking over his magazine.  
"Oh, yes definately." Monica smiled. "I'm with you, thats enough to make the whole world sing to me." Monica thought for a minute. "Joey once said when he was on an  
airplane he tried to enter the mile high club."  
"Mile high club?" Aaron asked. "Pardon my ignorance but whats that?"  
"Its when a couple go into a bathroom and ..." She whispered into his ear. "No way, we'd never fit." Aaron said.  
"Don't you want to try?" Monica cozied up to Aaron."This weekend we are different people. No way ordinarily would Aaron Shutt and Monica Geller get into a bathroom  
stall on a airplane and make out."  
"That is so true." Aaron said thinking of several people who would do that in a heartbeat.  
"Let's go." Monica said. "You go first, go in and wait a minute then I will follow you."  
"Ok." Aaron got up and tried to look like your ordinary 40 year old man going to the bathroom. He almost ran into an old lady on the way. Aaron finally reached the  
bathroom and went into the nearest unoccupied stall. Monica waited for a minute, then as if on some hidden cue followed the same route to the bathroom but nixing the part about tripping over the old lady.  
Aaron was sitting on the seat when she entered. She smiled and immediately went to him. She perched herself painfully on his lap. Painfully for she bonked her head on the ceiling.  
"Oh!" Monica said.  
"Are you all right?" Aaron said running his hands through her hair over the spot she hit.  
"I'm fine." Monica said wincing.  
"I am a head doctor after all." Aaron continued.  
"I'm fine." Monica said resting her hands on his shoulders. "I'm wonderful, it doesnt hurt...a lot...of the time." She leaned in to kiss him. As they were about to connect the airplane went through an airpocket and Aaron was pitched forward towards the wall.  
"Oh my!" Monica said. "Are you all right?" She said losing a battle at suppressing a laugh.  
"Is this what they mean when they say love hurts?" Aaron asked while rubbing his forehead. "We both hurt ourselves in this flight, we are about even."  
"Maybe someone is trying to tell us something." Monica said as she kissed Aaron full on the lips.  
"Me too. Airplanes are to fly in." Aaron said as he returned the kiss. "So much for the mile high club, I've run out of ideas."  
"Let's flush the toliet." Monica said getting a strange look from Aaron. "I always wanted to see where the water went."  
"Okay." Aaron flushed the airplane toliet. It went down and around then out the side.  
"That was fascinating." Monica said. "I wanna go back to my seat."  
"Me too." Aaron said. "You first."  
"We'll both go." Monica said opening the door.  
The instant they emerged people started clapping.  
"But we didn't.." Aaron said.  
"Let them think what they want." Monica said waving. "Thanks!" Monica and Aaron bowed and went back to their seat.  
  
Landing  
  
As Aaron and Monica grabbed their bags Aarons beeper went off.  
"Huh, this is Phillips number at the hospital. I wonder how he knew I was back?" Aaron wondered aloud.  
"Maybe Jeffrey had something to do with it." Monica said checking the contents of her bag.  
"Thats a good possibility." Aaron said. "I'll go talk to him. Monica do you want to come to Chicago Hope with me?"  
  
"Sure." Monica said. "I'd love to see where you work."  
"Thats great." Aaron said. "Taxi!" Aaron turned to the road to hail a taxi. "I wonder how Phillip knew I was back, I mean we didnt even tell him we were leaving."  
"Ask him when you get there." Monica said as a cab slowed down for them.  
"Thats a good idea." Aaron said.   
"Jeffrey certainly gets around though."  
"Aint that the truth." Aaron said as the cab pulled away from the curb.  
  
Chicago Hope  
  
Aaron and Monica came in through the front door of the hospital. It was an unusually slow day for one of the biggest hospitals in the region. Monica looked around. She would love to work here. The place was kept impeccably clean.  
"This is beautiful." Monica breathed.  
"Phillips gonna wanna see us pronto, before he pops a blood vessel." Aaron said catching an elevator. "I gotta stop by my office first."  
Aaron gave Monica the modified tour. As they got to his office Aaron strained his ears.  
"Do you hear something?" Aaron asked.  
"A lot of groaning." Monica observed.  
"Jeez." Aaron went through the door. Sure enough there was none other than Dr Jack McNeil and Lisa Catera on Aarons couch doing something that could not be mistaken  
for anything else but sex. "Excuse me guys?"  
Lisa and Jack turned to him. Lisa covered up.  
"Please remember this is still MY office? I'd like you to hose down that couch before you leave." Aaron said rolling his eyes and looking at Monica.  
"I'm sorry Aaron." Lisa said blushing. "Phillip told us you were on vacation."  
"Thats no excuse. You both have offices you can soil and not worry about someone walking in." Aaron said. "I'll be back later."  
"Oh my." Monica said. She tried to hide a smile. "Something tells me we interuppted something."  
"We sure did." Aaron said. "Uh, lets go, as quickly as possible."  
Monica smiled and took Aarons hand. They walked down the hall a short distance.   
Aaron abuptly stopped at an OR.  
"Have you ever seen an operation before." Aaron asked.  
"No." Monica said. "Well only on televsion and I saw my brothers child be born."  
"Would you like to see one?" Aaron asked. "Dr Kathryn Austin is in surgery right now."  
He said glancing at a clipboard. "Do you want to see a real live heart beating?"  
"What about Phillip and him bursting a blood vessel." Monica reminded him.  
"Phillip will be allright." Aaron said. "We can go into the observation room here."  
"Sure." Monica said as Aaron took her hand. He opened the door and they went into the observation part of the operating room.  
  
"Okay, I need the small clamp put about here." Kate Austin said reaching out her hand. The right size clamp was handed to her and she placed it in a spot which made the rib cage open like a steel trap. Monica watched intently as Kate did her work. Kate looked up.  
"Well I'll be." Kate said eyeing Aaron. "The vacationing Aaron Shutt has returned and he has brought his girlfriend along for the ride."  
"This is Monica." Aaron said through a speaker. "Monica this is mostly world famous cardiologist Kate Austin."  
"And don't you forget it." Kate said pointing her scapel at Aaron. "Monica, you ever seen a REAL surgery before? Can you keep your stomach in line if I did this?" Kate took her scapel and cut a section of the heart she was repairing.  
"Kate!" Aaron said as Monica looked a little woosy.  
Monica crashed into a chair in a sitting position.  
"I guess she wasnt ready for that." Kate said almost apologetically.  
Aaron gave her a look.  
  
Aaron had carefully laid Monica out on a chair in the hallway after she fainted in the OR observation room. Kate had cut a piece of a live heart and Monica fainted. She wasnt as ready for real live surgery as she had thought. Monica quietly sipped her water. Kate emerged from her OR.  
"Eeeh." Kate said chuckling. "Don't worry about that, it happens to first year medical students all the time." Kate said. "I like to compare my first surgery to the first time I had sex, a little messy but necessary and in the end you feel oh so good." Kate smirked as she looked at Monicas still ashen face. "But you look horrible."  
"You should talk. You look like you stole Carmen Mirandas bathing cap." Monica managed to spout out. Her remark about Kates signature fruit patterned OR cap failed  
to make a dent. But she smiled, impressed with the effort Monica had made.  
"She'll be fine." Kate turned and left.  
"I dated her once." Aaron shook his head at her. Monica kissed him on the cheek.  
"I suddenly feel so sorry for you." Monica cracked.  
"You oughta meet Camille. Then you would feel downright pity compared to Austin."  
Aaron said. "Shall we go to Phillips office?"  
"Ok, sure." Monica said. "Anything had to be better than this."  
  
Phillips Office.  
  
Monica and Aaron walked into Phillips office. He was turned away from them. To Aarons surprise Phillip was chugging along on an accordian doing the most revolting  
version of Lady of Spain in the songs history. Phillip hit a few off key notes and turned.  
"Ah, Ciao Aaron." Phillip said gleefully. "How do you like my accordian?" Phillip turned a mock serious look on his face. "Tell the truth, but remember I'm still your boss."  
Aaron thought. "It's lovely."  
"I thought someone was killing a small cat in here to tell the truth." Monica said getting a Shut up look from Aaron.  
Phillip looked stonefaced at her, the started to laugh his ass off."I knew I was bad, but not horrible. I got this little beauty at a yard sale." He held up his hand. "Before you ask me, what is a chief of staff doing at a run of the mill yard sale when he can go to the best  
stores in Chicago. I'll tell you why. Sometimes the best things are found in the unexpected places."  
"You wanted to see me." Aaron asked.  
"Who is this lovely creature?" Phillip said interupting. "The much ballyhooed Monica I believe."  
"Yes." Monica said. "But my friends just call me Monica."  
"I like this one. She has a sane face." Phillip said. He put on his poker face. "Aaron I asked you to come here becuase I have an offer to make you."  
"What would that be?" Aaron asked.  
"Aaron, how would you like your position as Chief Neurosurgeon of Chicago hope back?" Phillip asked.  
"Oh my god!" Monica said. "Aaron this is what you've been hoping for." She hugged his neck.  
"It certainly is." Aaron agreed. "But what about Lisa Catera."  
"You didn't hear?" Phillip raised an eyebrow. "They are now engaged. She realized that she and Jack working at the hospital would be a bad thing so she sent in her resignation this morning. We need you as a replacement ASAP." Phillip sat up. "What do you think?"  
"I don't know." Aaron replied still in a state of shock. "Will you let me think about it?"  
"Sure. Aaron." Phillip said. "But we need an answer by the end of the day."  
"Ok." Aaron said taking Monicas hand. He led her outside.  
"Youre gonna get your job back!" Monica said excitingly.  
"Yeah." Aaron said flaty.  
"Why arent you more excited abou this?" Monica asked.  
"Well if I get my job back, where does this leave us?" Aaron said. "I would have to stay  
in Chicago and you would have to go back to New York."  
"Oh." Monica said, looking a little down.  
"I gotta go think." Aaron said.  
"You don't have to think Aaron." Monica said seriously. "I'll go back to New york."  
"Monica..."  
"No, this is the best. After all you been here all your life and it would be a major uprooting to take all this and go to New York." Monica said. "But if I stay it means  
leaving my friends my family my life behind." Monica kissed Aaron on the cheek. "This is for the best Aaron, a nice clean break. Then it wont be any harder for us." Monica turned and went to the elevator.  
"Monica!" Aaron called to her.  
"Goodbye Aaron." Monica said. "I want to remember you this way, the way you are."  
Monica finished as the elevator closed.  
Aaron sat on a waiting room chair and mumbled.  
"Hey sport, you look like you lost your best friend."  
Aaron looked up and saw Kate. "What do you want?"  
"I just have one thing to say to you." Kate took her surgical cap and smacked Aarons head with it. "Whats the matter with you?"  
Aaron winced as he looked up.  
  
Monica got off the elevator and headed for the front door.  
"I'm doing the right thing." Monica said in her head. She told her self over and over again as if was her mantra for the day. "I'm doing the right thing."  
  
"You are letting the best thing in that came along in a long time get away from you just because you got neurosurgery back?" Kate asked him. "Cause if you are, you are even dumber than I thought."  
"What I do I do Kate?" Aaron asked. "You're experienced in dumping things and taking off, you must have some advice."  
"Beats me." Kate said. "But you better hurry. The next flight out is in an hour."  
Aaron sat there for a minute then realized what he must do. He rose and ran for Phillips office.  
"Phillip?" Aaron said coming in the door. "I'm not taking the job."  
"What do you want to do? Transfer to New york so you can be with a certain Ms Monica Geller?" Phillip asked while oiling a gauge on his new accordian."  
"How did you know?"  
"Filled out a transfer paper while you were in the hallway." Phillip looked at Aaron. "This is love Aaron. you must follow it where-ever it leads. But just remember, you always have a home in Chicago Hope waiting for you."  
"Thanks!" Aaron grabbed the transfer paper and headed for the elevator.  
  
Monica stepped out onto the curve. She waved her hands for a taxi. One drove by and promptly splashed her while going through a mud puddle.  
"This is great." Monica said shaking some mud off. Someone touched her shoulder and she turned. "Aaron!"  
"I'm coming with you." Aaron said showing her the papers he had gathered from Phillip.  
"I will be Chief of Neurosurgery at whatever New York hospital I get deposited."  
"But Aaron, Chicago is your home.." Monica said before Aaron stopped her with a kiss.  
"You are my home Monica." Aaron said while hailing a cab. "And I'm going with you to New York. You can't change my mind."  
"Who says I'm gonna attempt to?" Monica said before kissing him full on the lips.  
"Shall we go?" Aaron asked as a cab slowed down. "Our yellow chariot awaits."  
"We shall go." Monica said as Aaron opened the door for her. "Are we doing something crazy?"  
"Well, the best things that are done these days are considered crazy." Aaron said. "Then we are the craziest of them all."  
Monica smiled at him as the cab pulled away from the curb.   
  
The end 


End file.
